Training table.

Be Realistic

Setting Goals You Can't Attain Is A Sure Path To Disappointment

December 13, 1995|By Bob Condor, Tribune Staff Writer.

We have nothing to fear but fear of failure itself.According to personal trainer Teri O'Brien, whenever we are dissatisfied with our fitness programs, it's usually because of unrealistic expectations. People are too ambitious about diet and exercise goals. There aren't enough hours in which to fit all the aerobic exercise, weight training, stretching and healthful eating we think we should be doing.

I've had women come to see me with a photo (of a model or celebrity) from a magazine," said O'Brien, who operates New Silhouette personal training service in La Grange. "They say this is how they want to look.

I sit down with each client and start asking questions. The client might be married with two kids and work a job. I ask how many hours she can commit to exercise. If the client is serious, maybe it's four hours a week. That's a lot of time for someone with a busy schedule.

Then I explain the woman photographed in the magazine probably spends several hours a day on her fitness routine and watches every calorie that she eats. It's not a realistic option for most of us."

Men aren't much different. They also bring their personal trainers a wish list, such as the washboard stomachs and muscular upper bodies they see on sports stars who might be 20 years younger.

Most people generally try to do too much too soon," said Nicki Anderson, a nutritionist and personal trainer who runs Lifetime Fitness Inc. in Naperville. "They might aim to make it to the gym five times a week and never eat dessert again. When they fail to do so, they tend to give up on getting in shape rather than just do what they can."

That goes double for the holidays, when each day's schedule is packed as tightly as a snowball made of wet snow, and it's almost impossible to avoid extra helpings of food and drink. People are discouraged when they can't keep to their usual exercise schedule and fall prey to self-criticism.

"You have to like yourself to stay on a program and make the time for it," O'Brien said. "Fitness is a lifetime endeavor. If December is too crazy, then consider it a time for active rest and body maintenance."

O'Brien tells clients to find 10 to 15 minutes for exercise every other day. She suggests calisthenics like pushups, or yoga postures. If you have dumbbells, a quick workout is energizing. A brief outdoor walk is another good pickme-up, especially if you can do it during daily hours to help reset the body clock.

"Of course, it helps to avoid going to any holiday parties (when you're) starving," she said.

Anderson offers weekly challenges to her clients. "We make them small and attainable," she said.

Anderson might ask a client to find time for three short walks during a week, without the distraction of people or phones.

Other challenges include increasing daily intake of water, cooking a "heart-healthy" meal or not eating late at night twice during the week.

Making the small changes leads to significant changes in habits.

"We can't say to ourselves that we will never eat after 7 p.m. this week or during the rest of our lives," Anderson said. "That's just not practical.

"But if you can do more than a week ago or month ago, then you'll come out ahead."

BLUEPRINT FOR IMPROVEMENT

There are five stages to successfully turning a fitness goal into a habit, according to James Prochaska, a health psychologist at the University of Rhode Island and author of "Changing for Good."

1. Precontemplation: The wishful-thinking phase. You recognize the benefits of making changes in exercise or diet but are not yet motivated to take action.

2. Contemplation: You more actively weigh the pros and cons.

3. Preparation: A critical time in which you make a list of the pluses. What helps, Prochaska said, is telling someone about your plans. This firms up your commitment. Another tip: Start with small changes, like ordering a burger without cheese or mixing decaf into coffee.

4. Action: You move fully into change. Support your goal by devising contingency plans if, for example, you are going miss a workout (walk a few extra blocks to the office) or are dining out (suggest sharing dessert).

5. Maintenance: Perhaps the hardest part. If you stray, remember the benefits of the change. It will help you get back on track rather than figure all is lost.